1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to seating furniture with a backrest pivotable about a generally horizontal pivot axis for supporting a seated person""s lower back and, more particularly, to minimizing relative vertical movement between the seated person""s back and a lower edge of the backrest, which movement tends to displace the person""s clothing.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known, for example, from my U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,791 and its equivalent German Patent No. DE 38 26 290 to support a seated person""s back against a backrest pivotable about a generally horizontal, pivot axis fixed to a frame of a chair or analogous seating furniture. The backrest has two backrest portions inclined at an obtuse angle relative to each other. The pivot axis extends through the area where the inclined backrest portions meet. When the person""s upper back leans downwardly and rearwardly against an upper one of the backrest portions, the lower backrest portion pivots upwardly and forwardly against, and supports, the person""s lower back. For increased comfort, my aforementioned patent teaches providing greater flexibility to central areas of the upper and lower backrest portions, as well as curving said central areas.
As comfortable as the seating furniture disclosed in my aforementioned patent is, the upward, forward pivoting of the lower backrest portion causes the seated person""s clothing to be displaced. For example, the back panel of the seated person""s shirt or blouse can be lifted and pulled out of the back of the person""s pants or skirt, especially over the course of a day where the person frequently leans back and pivots the backrest a number of times. This problem is exacerbated when the backrest is upholstered, because many types of upholstered material have a greater coefficient of friction as compared to non-upholstered backrests and, hence, the upholstered material more affirmatively grabs and lifts the back panel of the person""s shirt or blouse.
Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to further increase the seating comfort of such furniture.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to minimize the tendency of such furniture to displace a seated person""s clothing.
In keeping with the above objects and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the present invention resides in a seating furniture, such as a chair, comprising a frame on a floor; a seat on the frame, for supporting a seated person; and a backrest for supporting a back of the seated person, the backrest being pivotable about a generally horizontal pivot axis elevated relative to the floor.
In accordance with this invention, the pivot axis is yieldably mounted for movement in which the pivot axis is lowered in elevation as the person""s back leans against the backrest. This minimizes the relative vertical movement between a lower edge of the backrest and the person""s back not only for greater user comfort, but also for minimizing, if not eliminating, the tendency of such furniture with a pivoting backrest to lift the back panel of one""s clothing out of the back of one""s pants or skirt.
In one embodiment, the frame includes a pair of armrests having movable arm sections on which the pivot axis is supported. The arm sections are made of a resilient material.
In another embodiment without armrests, the frame includes a pair of movable side supports for supporting the pivot axis and the backrest. Each side support has a vertical and a horizontal section. Each support section can be made of a resilient material. Preferably, a plurality of resilient elements such as rubber pads is used to resiliently support each horizontal section.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.